July 2026
Education navigator: Working with young people
1. Introduction:
The Head Start into Higher Education Programme supports 30 Children Looked After and Care Experienced young people from the London Borough of Camden. This seven-year programme provides long-term, wrap-around relational support grounded in consistency, trust, and opportunity.
At the heart of this programme is the Education Navigator - a stable, supportive presence who works alongside young people to help them overcome the multiple educational and emotional barriers they may face. The role challenges the “deficit discourse” often attached to care-experienced children and instead champions their strengths, curiosity, and potential.
The Navigator’s work includes:
Building strong relational foundations with young people
Advocating in statutory school meetings
Securing school placements and tailored academic support
Offering enrichment experiences that foster belonging and aspiration.
Partnering with universities across the UK to open meaningful pathways into higher education
Acting as a connector between services, professionals, and the young person’s wider network.
Young people engage with a wide range of institutions including Birkbeck, Cambridge, King’s College London Oxford, LSE, Loughborough, Middlesex, Queen Mary, Roehampton, Rose Bruford Drama University, SOAS, UCL, the York STEM Centre, Warwick, and Westminster.
Beyond universities, the programme collaborates with organisations such as Become Charity, Camden Connexions, CAMHS Growing With You, First Star Scholars, the Francis Crick Institute, Hampstead School of Art, Jamie's Farm, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, The Foundling Museum, Uni Connect, Universify and more - ensuring each young person can discover what sparks their confidence and ambition.
2. Recent Highlights
Exploring Oxford: Finding Stories in Unexpected Places
In March 2026, young people visited Mansfield College, Oxford with other London Virtual Schools, reading Old English texts, decoding runes, handling ancient artefacts, and meeting care-experienced undergraduates. These moments expanded their sense of identity, history, and possibility.
Becoming Scientists for a Week in York
During the First Star Scholars STEM Residential, young people spent time in state-of-the-art labs learning how paracetamol is made, extracting polymers, and bonding with peers across local authorities. The sense of belonging and scientific curiosity was evident!
3.Hear From Young People
“The open day was great. They welcomed me so well. Thanks for your encouragement - it means a lot.”
“People don’t understand that being care-experienced isn’t just about catching up on schoolwork, there can be a lot of loneliness and emotional challenges. I’m so proud I’m going to university despite that. I got my first choice!”
case studies
Where We Began
Rahim is a care-experienced young person and English is his additional language. He has experienced forced migration and holds refugee status; factors that made his academic journey uniquely challenging.
Rahim met with the Education Navigator to share his goals to become a pharmacist, succeeding in his English GCSE. He had the determination; but needed the right support structures around him.
Strengthening Academic Foundations
As the year progressed, Rahim found English GCSE particularly challenging. Recognising this, the navigator collaborated with Camden Virtual School and the Care-Experience Service to secure targeted English tuition for him.
Impact: Rahim now receives dedicated, one-to-one English GCSE tuition right up to his final exams, significantly strengthening his confidence and academic preparation.
Opening Doors to Science and Healthcare Pathways
Rahim’s long-term goal is to work in pharmacy. However, he lacked the science-based work experience required both for his college course and for competitive university applications.
Connecting to Transformational Work Experience Opportunities
Through the Care Leaver Covenant, the Education Navigator connected Rahim to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s work experience offer.
Impact:
Rahim completed a Pharmacy placement in an NHS hospital giving him invaluable clinical exposure that directly aligns with his aspirations.
He was connected to the First Star Scholars programme, which offered him additional science opportunities at the York STEM centre. This was an enriching opportunity that deepened his scientific understanding and prepared him for university-level study.
Expanding Horizons Through Higher Education Insight
During the school holidays, the Education invited Rahim to attend three enrichment events designed to deepen his understanding of university life and the application process. These included:
Leading London University Insight Day
A workshop with Become Charity and their Propel Service
A Leading London widening-participation workshop.
Impact:
Rahim learned about care-experienced bursaries, explored medical facilities through a virtual tour, met widening participation teams, and connected with other young people considering higher education through Camden Virtual School.
Each event made university feel not just possible, but within reach.
Where Rahim Is Now
Rahim is building a solid foundation for his next steps. With tailored academic support, two high-quality science placements, and university-focused enrichment behind him, he is now moving forward with clarity and growing confidence.
His journey reflects the powerful impact of relational support and meaningful opportunities offered through the Head Start into Higher Education Programme.
RAHIMFor care-experienced students, university is more than a place of study, it can also be their primary home. This makes stability, support, and connection essential.
The Education Navigator can add to the communication between Personal Advisors and university Student Support Services, at the request of a young person.
Securing Accommodation Over the Summer
When a young person risked having no place to stay during the holidays, the Education Navigator highlighted the institution’s commitments to care-experienced students and worked closely with their Personal Advisor to ensure accommodation could be sourced.
Impact: Holiday accommodation was secured in line with university policy.
Connecting Students to Pastoral Support
When another student’s university attendance declined, the Education Navigator acted quickly to link the young person and their Personal Advisor to the appropriate support at university student services.
Impact:
A student coach was assigned
Signposting and wellbeing support were provided
Meetings were arranged with the university’s care-leaver contact.
These interventions ensured the student was not left isolated during a vulnerable moment.
SUPPORTING STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITYWhere We Began
Aaliyah had experienced significant loss, including bereavement and moving country at a young age. She joined the Head Start Programme with understandable hesitations around unfamiliar environments and new experiences. The Education Navigator invited Aaliyah to attend a Residential Trip to visit a university, for the first time.
Building Trust
Through preparation meetings, visiting accommodation photos together, and connecting her with peers attending residentials, the Education Navigator carefully built Aaliyah’s confidence.
Aaliyah chose to attend the summer residential. Six months later, she described the experience as “some of the best times of my life.”
Growing Confidence and Independence
Following the residential, Aaliyah began:
Reaching out independently for advice
Engaging with academic support
Exploring physical activity and work experience opportunities
Strengthening friendships formed through the programme.
Extending Support Into Higher Education
As Aaliyah approached the stage of preparing for college, the Education Navigator worked closely with Social Workers and pastoral staff at Key Stage 5 to model what robust education support could look like.
This included:
Demonstrating how to complete a course application during holidays
Offering a taster session for the chosen course to provide Aaliyah with confidence in facing this education transition.
Where She Is Now
Aaliyah participates in regular enrichment opportunities and is developing confidence, independence, and a strong sense of belonging.
“These trips have been the best times of my life.” - Aaliyah
AALIYAH